Video – the Final Frontier of Fear Based Marketing

“Aaaahhhhhh! No, I dont’ want to do video. I would not like it here or there… with green eggs and ham… or anywhere else… Sam i Am!”

That’s the phrase that typically runs through my head when anyone says – You have to start doing video. I have avoided it like the plague for so long now, but finally, last week, I was told in no uncertain terms that enough was enough – camera shy be buggered, get over yourself and just DO it ok!

Ok, I quietly said in my head, but inside I was quacking! Oh no – how am I going to get out of it this time?

There was finally no way out! Why I think of video as fear based marketing has nothing to do with the reality – sharing information visually with clients is not frightening for them – it’s just that for me, I’m fearful of doing it wrong! Always.

Along came Grant!

Grant from Focused Video is a young 30 something year old man who has had a passion for video and directing for years, and after a successful career start workiing in global corporate business, headed home to Queensland and studied towards his passion becoming his life’s work.

And the results of working with someone passionate, young, and enthusaistic is that even the hard stuff becomes easier. And for me, the camera has always been my nemisis. Grant made it not so scary.

It still took a couple of hours to shoot enough material for a three minute introduction I’m putting on my new website this week, and I was grateful for my past experience doing some video work, including TV interviews. The ability to ‘get over myself’ was also enhanced by listening to an Amy Portfield interview the day before where she was talking with a veteran video based marketing specialist who reiterated again and again, that just be yourself, and remember that the audience want’s the information – and to not share that is ultimately selfish.

I finally got it.

I applied the necessary war paint, memorised the script – which was actually partly a waste of time because we ended up going a lot further than what the script said anyway – and got down to business.

Grant also tried the questions and answers option – so that for a while we grabbed some footage of me just talking about what I do… more naturally and unscripted. This gave me a chance to find my groove too.

And you know what? No one died, the house didn’t fall down, and the sun still came up the next day. I didn’t mess it up – although I did say a few bad words when I fluffed my lines – and we got the job done.

Sometimes it’s doing the hard work and putting our fears aside that enables us to make significant breakthroughs and find our voices.

I learned a couple of big things on Friday.

It really helps to have expert help to get the job done.

Using excellent tools for the job is absolutely necessary.

Practicing, and writing down what you want to say clears the mind.

Sharing your information can help others, so why hold back?

You have to make time to learn and grow in your own business, and that means doing the things you don’t always love to do.

I’m expecting to not look as glamorous as Julia Roberts when I see the video – as much as I’d prefer to look like her. I’m expecting to see me, and maybe me is the best person to be talking about me after all.

When it comes to promoting your work, your book, your speaking, and your programs, video is undoubtably unbeatable. We all have to start embracing ALL the ways we can get better at getting ‘out there’.

What’s holding you back from writing that book, making that video, developing that training program? I bet it’s not as hard as you think it might be, if you have someone to hold your hand through it, the right tools for the job, and an incentive to share your work.